Beaker Banter Podcast
August 5th, 2026
On this episode of Beaker Banter, we sit down with Dr. Michelle Kunimoto, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and real-life planet hunter. We tackle tough questions: Are we alone in the universe? Is Pluto a planet? And what's the best reason to visit Las Vegas? Join us for a fascinating look at how to explore other worlds and what these discoveries tell us about our own place in the universe.
Speakers
Dr. Michelle Kunimoto
Dr. Michelle Kunimoto is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of British Columbia and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree. Dr. Kunimoto has identified more than 3,000 planet candidates in the quest to find habitable environments on other worlds.
Website: https://mkunimoto.github.io/
Dr. Marissa Lithopoulos
Dr. Marissa Lithopoulos is a scientist and storyteller. As a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of British Columbia, Marissa helps us understand how stem cells contribute to brain development and how we can harness this potential to treat conditions affecting the brain. She is the Co-Founder of Beaker Banter and Founder of Science, Stand-Up, & Song, initiatives that aim to bridge the gap between scientists and the public.
